Revelation of the Scriptures: The Holy Spirit Will Teach You in All Things

A fifth great purpose of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is that the Spirit may become our guide and teacher in relation to the Scriptures. Christ promises this to His disciples in two passages in John’s Gospel.

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26)

During His earthly ministry Jesus taught His disciples much, especially concerning His death and resurrection, which they were unable either to understand or remember.

However, Jesus assured them that after the Holy Spirit came to dwell in them, He would become their personal teacher and enable them to remember and understand correctly all that Jesus had taught them during His earthly ministry. Nor would the Holy Spirit confine Himself only to interpreting the teachings of Jesus while on earth; He would also lead the disciples into a full understanding of God’s whole revelation to man.

“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth [more literally, into all the truth]; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak.” (John 16:13)

Here the phrase “all the truth” may be interpreted by reference to the words of Jesus: “Your word is truth” (John 17:17).

Jesus promises His disciples that the Holy Spirit will lead them into a correct understanding of the entire revelation of God to man through the Scriptures. This includes the Old Testament Scriptures, the teaching of Jesus during His earthly ministry and also the further revelation of truth given to the Church after Pentecost through Paul and others of the apostles.